IZh-12

The IZh-12 (ИЖ-12) is a Soviet double-barreled shotgun.

IZh-12
Type	double barreled shotgun
Place of origin	USSR
Production history
Designer	A. A. Klimov[1]
Manufacturer	Izhevsk Mechanical Plant[1]
Produced	1962 - 1974
No. built	311 633[1]
Specifications
Mass	3.1 - 3.5 kg[2]
Barrel length	720 or 730mm[3][2]
Caliber	12, 16 gauge[3][2]
Action	Break-action[1]
Sights	iron sights

History

IZh-12 was designed in early 1960s as a successor to the IZh-59 "Sputnik", in 1962 first shotguns were made. Since 1963 began its serial production.^[2]

In January 1965, the price of one standard IZh-12 was 158 roubles. The price of one custom IZh-12 shotgun (with engravings, walnut stock and walnut fore-end) was between 250 and 270 roubles.^[3]

In 1967, a detachable diopter sight was proposed for IZh-12 shotguns.^[4]

In 1974, production was discontinued. In total, 311 633 shotguns have been made^[2] and 129 000 of them were sold to foreign countries.^[5][6]

In 1976, a new detachable diopter sight was proposed for IZh-12 shotguns.^[7]

Design

IZh-12 is an over and under hammerless shotgun, with one barrel above the other.^[1]

Both barrels are chromed^[6] and have chokes at the muzzle end.^[5]

It has a walnut or beech stock and fore-end.^[3][2]

Variants

• IZh-15 (ИЖ-15) - over/under combination gun with a rifled 5.6×39mm barrel over a 16 gauge smoothbore barrel.^[8] It has plastic or rubber recoil pad on its shoulder stock and can be equipped with optical sight^[9]

Users

• Soviet Union^[6]
• United Kingdom^[6] - unknown number of shotguns were sold as civilian hunting weapon